Roll-neck seal



s. A. HASTINGS E'i-AL ROLL-mon sw..

`Filed Aug. 16, 19136 Patented July 6,v 1948 ROLL-NECK SEAL Shirrel A.Hastings and Charles F Voytech, Chicago, Ill., assignors'to Crane Packing Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August16, 1946, lSerial No. 690,846 I 5 Claims. (Cl. 286-11) This inventionrelates to rotary seals and particularly to such seals which are adaptedto effect a seal between two relatively rotatable vertically disposedsurfaces. For purposes of illustration, this invention will be describedwith reference to its application to large seals such as are used forprotecting the bearings of a rolling mill.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a large diameterseal which will Ihave a relatively simple and inexpensive flexiblesealing member but which nevertheless will seal upon a radial face.

Another object of this invention is to provide a seal for a roll neck orthe like wherein the seal is readily removed from the roll withoutdestroying any of the parts of the seal.

Another object of this invention is to provide -a seal for a roll neckor the like which seals upon a vertical face by means of a. washerhaving a ground and lapped radial sealing surface, said washer being sodisposed Within the seal that it may be readily removedI for relappingor replacement.

These and other objects and features of this invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description when taken togetherwith the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a fragmentary radialcross-section through a seal embodying this invention and the portionsof the roll neck and bearing chock '-associated therewith; and v Fig, 2is a fragmentary elevation of the seal of Fig. l taken along line 2-2 ofFig. l.

Referring now to the drawings for a detailed description of theinvention, the roll of a rolling mill'is shown at Ill and has a neckportion II extending from a shoulder I2 on the roll and a taperedsection I3 extending from the neck portion II. The roll is supportedfrom a bearing chock It by a suitable anti-friction bearing I5 which ispressed upon the tapered region I3 of the roll. Bearing I5 is partlyprotected by a coverplate I6 which is spaced from chock I@ by a gasketIl and is supported from the chock by suitable fastening means such asbolts or the like (not shown) Coverplate I6 has progressively smallerconcentric recesses I8, I9 and 2Ilformed therein, the

recesses opening on the righthand side of the plate. The seal proper isshown at 2l and is in general disposed Within recess I8. Said seal 2l lis the rotary part of the seal and the stationary part is shown at 22and comprises a ring of suitable material such as cast iron having aradially lextending 4flange 23 located a short distance from whichspaces ring 35 from the radial portion 28 rbetween ring 22 andv seal 2l.

2 the right-hand end (Fig. 1) of the ring so as to dene with recess I9 arectangular space. In

said space is compressed a ring 2l of resilient deformable material suchas rubber. either natural or synthetic or a combination of the two, or aiibrous material which expands slightly when ex. posed to oil or otherlubricant. The resilient ring 24 acts as a fluid-tight seal betweenplate I6 and ring 22 and alsopermits the ring 22 to change its positionslightly relative to plate I6 to accommodate any slight weaving of theseal 2l with respect to plate I6 without destroying the seal Ring 22 isprevented from rotating relative to plate I6 by means of one or morepins 25 extending into slots 26 in plate I6 which do not interfere withthe installation of ring 22 in plate I6.

The seal proper 2l is comprised of a rigid support 21 which is L-shapedin radial cross-section so as to have a radially extending portion 28and an axially extending portion 29. The radially extending portion 29is provided with a shoulder 30 which has a close fit with the interiorof a flanged cylindrical ring 3l, ,the flange being shown at 32.Adjacent flange 32 is the outer peripheral region 33 of an annulardiaphragm v34, the diaphragm being made of flexible resilient 'materialsuch as rubber, either natural ork synthetic or a combination of thetwo,or a fabric impregnated with a coating of flexible material which isimpervious to the iiuid to be sealed so that the fabric is substantiallyfluid-tight. A spacer ring 35 is mounted within ring 3| with arelatively close fit so that vspacer ring 35 is centered relative to theseal by means of ring 3I. The left-hand end (Fig. 1) of spacer ring 35abuts on the outer peripheral region 33 of diaphragm 34 and the rightofthe support 2l. A plurality of screws 3l is utilized to draw up the ring3l the outer peripheral region 33 of idiaphragm34, spacer ring 35 andgasket 36 against the radial portion 28 of support 2l -so that afluid-tight seal is effected between diaphragm 34 and support 2l.

The inner region 38 of diaphragm 34 abuts on the back of a sealingwasher 39, the washer 39 being mounted on the axially extending portion29 of support 2l. Said washer 39 may be made of a low friction materialwhich is predominately phenolformaldehyde or other thermosetting resinand may be reinforced by layers of cotton or duc-k cloth for high impactresistance. Washer 39 is formed with a nose IIII extending axially tothe left as shown in Fig. 1 and having a ground and lapped radiallydisposed surface Il which has a fluid-tight running ilt with a similarlyground and lapped radially disposed surface I2 on ring 22.

Washer Il is held against rotation relative to support 21 by means of aplurality of pins press-fitted into drilled openings I4 in washer I9 andprovided with square-sided ends 4l (Figs. 1 and 2) extending radiallyinwardly into slots ll formed in the axially extending portions 29 ofsupport 21. Said slots i extend to the left as viewed in Fig. 1 to theleft-hand edge 41 of support 21. The slots are closed by individualstraps Il (Fig. 2) suitably fastened to support 21 by screws 49.Alternatively, these slots maybe closed by a continuous ring of material(not shown) in those cases wherea large number of pinsisused.v

The inner region Il of diaphragm 24 is held against washer $9 by a rigidferrule or `washer Il which maybe made of brass, stainless steel orother metal and preferably formed ,with a ilange 5i for rigidity. Washer39 is provided with an axially extending flange $9 which serves tocenter washer 50 and diaphragm 34 with respect to washer 3l. A pluralityof helical springs I2'is` compressed between support 21 and ferrule SIthereby providing an axial force which compresses the inner peripheralregion 2l of diaphragm 3l against washer 29 and also holds washer 39against thestationary ring 22. In order properly to locate springs 52relative to support 21 and ferrule 50, recesses Il are formed in support21 and discs 5I are welded or cemented upon ferrule S0, the recesses 53being large enough to receive springs 52 and the discs 5| being smallenough to t into the springs. The discs 5I are preferably made with a"tight llt within springs 52 so that when the seal is asdescription isillustrative of preferred embodiments of this invention and that thescope of the invention is not to be limited thereto, but is to bedetermined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a rotary seal having a washer with a radially disposed sealingsurface thereon and a rigid support for the Washer having an L-shapedradial cross-section, means for effecting a ilexlble fluid-tightsealbetween the washer and support comprising an apertured diaphragmhaving its inner peripheral region in contact with the washer, acylinder surrounding the washer and spaced radially therefrom, saidcylinder having an inwardly extending flange in contact with the oneside of the outer peripheral region of the diaphragm, a spacer ringnested within the cylinder between the flange and support and contactingthe' other side of the outer peripheral region of the diaphragma gasketlocated between the'spacer ring and support, means for drawing theflanged ring against the support to compress the diaphragm, spacer ringand gasket between the flange and support thereby to eifect afluid-tight seal between the outer peripheral region of the diaphragmand support, and means for compressing the inner peripheral regionagainst the washer to eieet a fluid-tight seal between the washer anddiaphragm.

2. In a rotary seal, the combination described in claim 1, said washerhaving an axially extending flange passing through the aperture in thesembled the springs may be pressed over the relative rotation betweensupport 21 and the roll.

Gasket 55 is provided with openings 58 through which the pins 56 extend,said pins 56 serving to center the gasket 55 properly with respect toroll I0.

It will be apparent that the chock can be removed without in any waydisturbing seal 2| and that seal 2i may likewise be readily removed fromthe roll when the roll is to be dressed without necessitating thedestruction of any part thereof. The stationary ring 22may be removedwithout difiiculty from the plate it for relapping or replacement,whichever is necessary, and after seal 2i is removed from roll I 8 thesealing washer 29 may similarly be removed for relapping or replacementwithout destroying the remainder of the seal. The seal 2| is handled asa unit and can be quickly replaced if necessary.

Although this invention has been described with reference to itsadaptation torolling mills, it can be used on any'large diameterinstallation. If modiiled to utilize stampings instead of machined orcast parts, it can be used on small diameter installations with equalfacility.

It is understood therefore that the foregoing diaphragm and said meansfor compressing the inner peripheral region against the washercomprisir'ig a washer supported on said flange and resilient meanscompressed between the washer and support.

3.v In a rotary seal, the combination described in claim 1, said supporthaving open-ended slots in the Vicinity of the washer, lugs on saidwasher extending into said slots to prevent relative rotation betweenthe washer and support, and a ring disposed across the open ends of theslots to lock the washer in the support.

4. In a rotary seal, the combination described in claim 1, said washerbeing made of a thermosetting resin taken from the 4class consisting ofphenol-formaldehyde, urea-formaldehyde and melamine. said support havingslots in the vicinity of the Washer, and lugs on said washer, said lugscomprising metal pins embedded in the washer and having substantiallysquare heads extending into the slots.

5. In a 4rotary seal for effecting a fluid-tight seal between a shoulderon a roll neck and a chock therefor, the combination described in claiml, said support for the seal fitting loosely on the roll neck, aplurality of pins retained in the support and extending axially towardthe shoulder oi.' the roll, openings in the shoulder into which the pinspass and a gasket inserted between the shoulder and support andpositioned on the shoulder by the pins.

' SHIRREL A. HASTINGS.

CHARLES F. VOYTECH.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the MarvinAug. 31, 1943

